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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23343022">Change bytes</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Verl/pseuds/Verl'>Verl</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Dealing with unresolved issues, Gen, Mostly Fluff, Short One Shot, being dorks about feelings, same 'universe' as the chatfic, still understandable enough without it, vr au</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 08:34:05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,607</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23343022</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Verl/pseuds/Verl</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Keebo is tired of pretending he hasn't noticed how Shuichi will hide his eyes and look away since they've all returned to reality.<br/>It's time to confront him about it, before it manages to drive a wedge in their friendship.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>K1-B0 &amp; Saihara Shuichi</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>26</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Change bytes</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Are you sure this place is okay? You look a bit uncomfortable there”.</p><p>It was incredibly uncomfortable to be bundled up in an ill fitting hoodie that seemed determined to find every bit of plating and get caught on it, but it was better than dealing with the staring the two of them would have caused if he wasn’t wearing it.<br/>
“I need to get out sometimes too, you know,” the robot shrugged, locking his fingers so he wouldn’t start fiddling with the gloves again. He did envy the others a little, how they could blend into a crowd more easily with just their wardrobe. Shuichi would be hard to pick out from any other person in his knit navy sweater and somewhat faded black jeans, if it wasn’t for the way he wore his hat of choice.</p><p>His eyes tracked people coming and going from the small park like area, perched on the bench like an anxious bird. “I could try and find somewhere more private, I can tell it’s bugging you”.</p><p>“There’s nowhere private enough that’s also outdoors without it being the middle of nowhere. It’s fine Shuichi. I promise,” Keebo would have given the detective a smile, but with his mask pulled up and hood shading his face it would have been nearly impossible to see it.</p><p>“Well, if you say so…” he relaxed his sitting posture on the bench, fingers clutching the brim of his hat. It wasn’t his preferred cap, too bright a blue with a logo on the front and back yet he could already make out the grooves his fingernails must be making with how often he gripped the edge of it.</p><p>“Still cannot find your hat, I assume?”</p><p>Shuichi scowled. “I’m starting to think he did burn it.”</p><p>“That is what he wants you to think, yes. I have heard from the horse’s mouth that it is intact, so to speak.”</p><p>“Any chance he told you where he hid it?”</p><p>“Oh, I know exactly where it is.”</p><p>The detective blinked at him, letting go of his hat to meet his gaze. “You do? I was kind of kidding when I asked that...”</p><p>“I do. Though of course there is a chance it was a lie. I think I have him pegged better than he thinks at this point,” he shrugged, watching closely to how his friend reacted to the statement. There. The twitch, the re-grabbing of his hat to hide his eyes. Avoiding something, to the point that the silence started to become awkward. He could wait.</p><p>“Uh..could you tell me where then, maybe?” Shuichi broke, the question more of a mumble than anything else.</p><p>“I could. I think the word you were looking for is ‘will’. I might, if you answer one of my questions,”</p><p>“We’re friends, we don’t need to trade answers like that, do we?” the detective looked puzzled now, less worried.</p><p>“I doubt you would answer me honestly in this regard. Thus the rather underhanded tactic. Yet I am sure you can understand,” he let himself lean backwards and look up and away from Shuichi. He could always backpedal and tell his friend where to find the stolen hat.</p><p>“Kokichi’s the liar around here, but sure. I can do that if you want.”</p><p>Last chance to back out.<br/>
He watched the slowly moving clouds for a moment, uncertainty making him want to fidget. “Did you think I would kill you? When we first spoke in the courtyard, I mean.”</p><p>Shuichi managed to look very rigid for someone leaning on a park bench, every limb stiff and still.</p><p>“You don’t need to answer, but regardless I will not be offended. I just want to know the truth,” the robot prompted, a bit of guilt prickling at him for putting a friend on the spot like this, </p><p>“I-I think I did think that a little, yes,” he looked away, seeming to curl inwards at the admission.</p><p>“Was it the weapon or my behaviour that made you think that?”</p><p>“You weren’t really acting like yourself that whole time, I don’t think anyone would have imagined you would try something like that.” he was eyeing him cautiously now, apparently trying to guess how he was taking the news.</p><p>“So, have you figured out what the contradiction is? Or why I might wish to speak to you about it?” Keebo had to resist the urge to move, not wanting to spook Shuichi now that he’d put him on his actual question.</p><p>He was stumbling to speak, babbling almost like an apology “Like I know now that you were trying to help, and you probably wouldn’t have-”</p><p>“No, I absolutely would have killed you all if you had not finished by sunrise.” he cut the detective off, trying to ignore how his face paled. “Yes, this is working under the assumption death was for keeps still, if you are questioning that.”</p><p>The detective swallowed, arm trembling slightly with how tightly his fingers were curled. “I guess we didn’t really know you all that well,”.</p><p>“In essence. I know you’ve noticed,” he looked down at his hands “I actually have enough free will to take action and defend myself now, and I think that disturbs you”.</p><p>“It doesn’t disturb me! It’s just…”</p><p>“That I’m not acting ‘normally’. Coupled with the last time I was not ‘normal’ I had threatened you with death.” he finished for him, figuring they would be here for hours if Shuichi had to scramble for the words. “I need you to understand that time was the only time I had been able to think completely for myself. That is who I am now, and will continue being,” he let out a long sigh, wishing he could pull his mask down to show he wasn’t angry.<br/>
“I still consider everyone a friend, but I can understand if you don’t feel the same way. I still don’t know how much they influenced me.”</p><p>He was looking away, hat apparently not enough of a thing to hide behind. “We’re still friends, we’re all just adjusting like this,”</p><p>“I do not want to force you to be uncomfortable. I’ve seen how you flinch if I’m the first to suggest something, or when I argue against something that isn’t an obvious jab.”</p><p>The hand on his shoulder startled him, looking up to see Shuichi with his hat off, actively trying to look at his face. That determined look he’d sport after making a decision, the confidence that had managed to lead the class through trials time and time again. He’d missed it.</p><p>“No. I can face this truth, same as all the others,” his grip remained strong, even if he had more sweatshirt than anything else. “I wasn’t sure if you wanted things to stay the same or not, so I just tried to ignore it”.</p><p>“That’s a fair reaction, and one I did not consider,” Keebo admitted, a surge of relief letting him smile easily. “I was under the impression you were afraid of me, which is completely justified. That you...preferred if I wasn’t myself.”</p><p>“I’m friends with you, not some voices in your head. People change, and if you’re happy with it, I’m happy for you too, okay?”</p><p>Moments like these did make him wonder if he should be thankful he could not cry, as he certainly felt like he could at the moment. “I think I really needed to hear that. Thank you.” he looked down, embarrassed by another feeling. “...I know I’m not exactly cuddly, but this is typically when friends hug, yes? Though that might just be in media.”</p><p>Shuichi let out a laugh, leaning forward to give the flustered robot a hug, who returned it after a moment. “That was the easiest question to answer today” he said as he let go, looking more relaxed.</p><p>His face still felt warm, but he was thankful he’d asked. Though he did owe his friend his side of the bargain “Oh, your hat is hidden in Korekiyo’s closet. Apparently there are a lot of hats in there, because being a nuisance is how Kokichi shows affection.”</p><p>“How was I possibly meant to find that?” Shuichi raised his hands in exasperation “So much for it being ‘easy to find’, another one of his lies.”</p><p>“I believe he gave you that hint because, and I quote, ‘the hat will like it there, since it’s always sitting on someone in a closet.’”</p><p>Shuichi’s cheeks flushed at the remark, scrambling to put his hat back on. “Just because I’m not as open about it as he is doesn’t mean I’m in a closet,” he muttered, mostly to himself.</p><p>“He is right about one thing though. You do look better without the hat,” Keebo’s head tilted slightly as the detective seemed to grow more embarrassed at the remark. “It hides your confidence too well.”</p><p>“I’ll uhh. Keep that in mind, I guess” he rubbed at the back of his head. “Did Kokichi put you up to saying that?”</p><p>“No. If he put me up to something he’d probably mention your looks, since he’s always telling me about them.” Keebo rolled his eyes.</p><p>“...That is also noted”</p><p>He couldn’t quite tell why Shuichi seemed so red from a simple statement. It wasn’t like he’d mentioned Kokichi found the detective cute outright or anything. Or perhaps he had. Human relationships were very intricate and contradictory half the time anyway.<br/>
Well, he might learn with time and by watching the others. That’s what friends were for, helping one another out.<br/>
It was nice to know he still had a friend in the detective, despite it all.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>yes it is named that purely for the pun and i could not think of anything better<br/>I was in a fluff mood. And half experimenting with the relationship tags since I don't really use them/have them as a central theme.<br/>Hopefully it was enjoyable, I'm not really good at cute. &gt;&gt;</p></blockquote></div></div>
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